Possible Spencer-East Brookfield school budget shortfall probed

A review of the Spencer-East Brookfield School Department budget is expected to be released within two weeks and, according to preliminary reports, there could be a shortfall.

Since mid-December there has been concern about a shortfall and school committee members revealed last night that a complaint about Superintendent Reza Namin’s managing of the school’s finances prompted the review.

Mr. Namin has been on personal leave since a lengthy closed-door session with the committee Dec. 11.

Acting Superintendent Debora Zablocki said she conducted a preliminary review of the budget as soon as she took the post and was concerned there may be a problem.

“Based on my preliminary review of the budget, it appeared it could be, indeed, out of balance,” Mrs. Zablocki said last night, adding that she appointed an interim business manager Dec. 27.

She said the business manager, Richard Scortino, “has advised me, based on his review to date, that there do appear to be issues pertaining to the budget.”

While some residents and teachers expressed concern that the school committee has released little information, Chairman Mary Gershman said they cannot discuss personnel matters and won’t talk about specifics of their investigation until the financial report is released.

Committee members also changed Mr. Namin’s status last night, voting to place him on paid administrative leave, something they had planned to do last month but didn’t when he asked to take personal leave.

Mrs. Gershman, reading from a prepared statement, said the move was prompted by “a complaint filed against him (Mr. Namin) in connection with the finances of the district.”

She said neither she nor the vice chairman had approved travel expenses beyond what was allowed in his contract and that they are working to find a good time for him to retrieve the personal belongings he said are being held after he was ordered to stay off school property.

Mr. Namin contends the district’s finances were in “good shape” when he left last month and he blames former Superintendent Ralph Hicks for undermining his work because Mr. Namin has fired some of the employees Mr. Hicks hired.

Mr. Hicks has said he has nothing to do with Mr. Namin’s issues. Though in a Dec. 8 letter to Mr. Namin, Mr. Hicks wrote that he has learned the School Committee voted to spend money for site testing at David Prouty High School where an expansion and renovation project is planned.

The letter was also sent to the committee and selectmen in both towns.

He wrote that he believes it will not be reimbursed by the state and “both towns will bear the full cost of this added expense,” which he contends is $59,840.

Mr. Hicks wrote that the committee and Mr. Namin had a “moral obligation to the taxpayers of Spencer and East Brookfield to right this wrong.”

The school building committee has stepped back from work on the project and awaits the outcome of the financial report.